Mind Bending....

I gotta say I felt like I hit a gold mind with Soda Creek. The view was picturesque with the mountains, the clouds moving in every afternoon and even a rainbow!!

While at the campsite I found a trail I could hike with India and then ride later on the bike. This was nice to get my feet wet and back into forest riding. This also gave me something to do for the day since I needed time to kill. I had a whole day to ride. After a day of bliss of the bike I headed to bed early, I had a trunk show at Rescue Consignment the next day.

While everyone at Rescue helped me set up they let me now that because of the rain filled day and music/art festival going on there wasn’t a lot of foot traffic, so I was more than welcome to go check things out downtown. After about an hour I took them up on it. I grabbed a coffee at a little shop, wound through the streets filled with art and what nots, stopped in a bike shop to grab some new gloves (I had lost one) and then headed back to Rescue. I had a great day showing my jewelry, looking through Rescue’s entire shop (which is saying a lot, they have a ton of awesomeness there), roaming the streets on downtown but it was time to go home, to Sparks Lake.

Bikes and Books around Bend.....

On my drive home I noticed a sign that said bike park, I instinctively took the turn towards it. I was so excited, this means downhilling (take a ski lift to the top of a mountain and ride, or in my case hold on, to a super squashy bike while going down the mountain super fing fast. It’s a blast!!!) but was I ready to hit these intense trails again. I haven’t been downhilling in about 2 years and had been battling an injured shoulder for the last year.-Oh, btw, my MRI showed a tear in my Labrum and two small tears in my rotator cuff. Since it doesn’t really hurt to bike and it seems to help my shoulder my Doc and I decided to delay surgery, well until I tear my cuff more!! Fingers crossed that it won’t tear anymore…..please!!!-

I pulled up to the main entrance of the park, parked Jones and went in. I got all the info from a super cool chick named Debbie Do! I was sold, I was hitting the trails in the am.

s I woke the next day I was full of pure utter excitement! It’s DH day!!!! I packed up my gear and hit the road. Once I registered and rented a bike I went to get fitted. Aaron was the bike mechanic at Mount Bachelor. In the past I’ve had my fair share of dude bros just pawning me off at bike shops or getting fitted for a bike. I get it, I’d do the same if I was a dipshit but Aaron was no shit, I dip you not! He actually fit me for a bike and told me to head back if things didn’t feel right. Thank you Aaron.Hot damn!! At first my nerves got me so I hit the greens and they were a blast, especially Lava Flow. Once I get my flow going I hit the bigger boys and took the main lift all the way up the mountain, where there was snow!!! By the afternoon I keep telling my arms, one more run, over and over again. Finally after a day of riding I was shot, so instead of taking one more run and eating shit I headed in for the day. The park was fun with lots of options, including some cool wooden features, kickers, drops and gab jumps. What a rad time, especially for a park that's going on it’s 2ndseason. I’d like to go back after they finish building DSM (Dark Side Of The Moon). Killer name, right???

I spend my last night in Bend drinking an omission beer, resting my battered body and enjoying the most amazing sunset over the mountains with my best bud India. These are the moments that make all the hard shit on the road worth it. These are the important things, to do what you love and love doing it. Now that’s the life.

TRUNK SHOW

Lincoln, I'm coming to town. Tsuru in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska is hosting a trunk show where I will be showing/selling my new jewelry (and old), drawings and paintings from the road. Please join me Thursday August 20th from 5-8pm for a beer, luv to see your face!!!

Check out the Facebook Page for details. I'm super excited to be]home for a little bit.

The Pirate Cycling League (my hometown riding crew) is putting on their annual 150 gravel race Gravel Worlds. The race is full so in true PCL fashion I will be pirating part or most of the race. Excited to crush some familiar gravel with the raddest group of hooligans around.

Please contact me with questions, comments, stories, hi-fives or just to say hi!! Pass along to any and all. Thanks for reading!!